, 1887-08-31
JUGGLING JURORS.
Inc Mccoy Case is Progressing
With a SnaiI-Lik Pace.
The Delay is Caused blythe Scarcity
of Competent Jurors.
nearly Every Man Called Has
Formed an Opinion.

a lury In the Began, alias Mccoy, case,
were carried on rapidly in Judge Corp's
court Yesterday. The entire time of the
sessions held was devoted to this arduous
and difficult undertaking. The learned
and l%ienient, though digniied judicial
from the second district occupied the
bench. Messrs. Potter, Reel and Nor
gan acted as %triers, while Attorneys Lacey
and Riner for the defense, and Prosecutor
Stoll faced the jury. Inside the railing
we're other court officials, the defendant
himself, a sprinkling of attorn eys, occa-
%slonallg a reporter, and a few witnesses
and favored spectators. In the audito-
rum every seat was occupied, either by
the curious, prospective jurors, or mem-
bers of the Lusk contingent.
The substance OF the days business
may be stated to the effect that in the
earnest efforts to secure a jury the regular
panel and a venire of sixty names was
exhausted, and the county clerk and pro-
bate Judge instructed to prepare a special
'NhhS SOhSoihihb IOO uduuGS, duu pTtSeUU
the list at 9 o'clock this morning.
1t has often been asserted, perhaps
without authority, hat trial by jury is a
farce, a burlesque and a parody upon JUS
tice. Be that as it may, the task of Sc
curing a jury for the trial of a notorious
criminal is a tremendous and difficult one,
and entails labor, processes, questioning
and examinations that must of necessity
be conducted with a gleat deal of care. 1t
goes without saying that great caution is
being exercised in the selection of twelve
unbiased, unpreiudiced, non o~pinionated,
and at the same time intelligent, educat-
ed, thinking and representative citizens
The leading features of the Mccoy case
have been discussed in almost every
household in Laramie county. There are
nearly 2 900 men in this subdivision of
the territory eligible to jury duty, 1t is
safe to assert that the majority of them
have at least talked of the last Lusk
tragedy. This could not be averted. 1t
was a public matter and bound to be
treated as such. The fame, or notoriety
of the case has rendered the task of Sc
curing a competent jury an extremely
difficult one.
The stereotyped questions %propounded
by the lawyers elected the anticipated
replies. Every individual who occupied
the box yesterday had heard of the case,
either in public places or through the col
umns of the press. Quite a number had
conversed with witnesses tor the prosecu.
ton and thus formed opinions; others
were violently opposed to capital punish
ment, while a few firmly believed the
prisoner to be guilty and could not give to
him the presumption of innocence until
testimony adduced should alter this atti-
tude toward the accused.
Several queer specimens were candi.
dates for a long siege in the jury box.
One of these had no scruples against cap
ital punishment, but did not believe in
hanging. Another said that he would
prefer not to be a factor in the death Of a
man, but firmly believed in the biblical
EYE for an eye" etc, and, on the whole,
was not of the opinion that capital pun
ishment was exactly right. Many had
both formed and expressed sentiments
concerning the case, while others were so
anxious to be excused that they were at a
loss Just how to answer the questions.
The ten men who occupied the box
last night are no more iurymen than the
100 whom the sheriff and his deputies
summoned last night. In short, the
work of securing a jury has scarcely been
commenced.
Mccoy was decidedly nervous yesterday.
He sat still scarcely an instant, alternately
gazing at the attorneys, the Judge, &C.
cupants of the jury box and spectators.
The prisoner was visibly i~rritated and
anxious, continually twirling his nous
tache or moving his fingers and hands.